Israel warplanes attack suspected Hezbollah sites

The three airstrikes appeared to be prompted by the claim of the Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah that its guerrillas ambushed Israeli commandos advancing in the area, "scoring direct hits and inflicting casualties."

A commander of the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army militia suffered serious head wounds when his mortar misfired Monday night, security officials said. Lt. Col. Elias Nasr, commander of the Rihan outpost, was evacuated by military helicopter to a hospital in Israel.

Ein al-Tineh, where the air raids took place, is 2 miles from a zone Israel has occupied in southern Lebanon since 1985 with the aim of protecting its northern communities from guerrilla attacks.

The area also is about 20 miles west of the border with Syria, the dominant power in Lebanon and Israel's most serious Arab foe.

Israeli gunners also fired artillery shells at the area, said Lebanese security officials, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.